Social media was taken on by a storm on Wednesday after a local teacher took to TikTok on the first day of school claiming that she was unfairly let go from her position as an educator.

According to the teacher, Kelly Manus, this follows a sexual harassment case that she filed against a fellow teacher. Manus allegedly laid the complaint against her fellow teacher (who is the principal’s husband) after he touched her inappropriately.

In the video, the former Symphony High School teacher alleged that the school principal jeopardized her opportunity to become a permanent teacher at the school following as she was serving as a contracted teacher.

@kelly_manus PART ONE: Apologies for the quality 😮‍💨#teachersoftiktok #teacherlife ♬ original sound – Kelly Manus

@kelly_manus PART TWO 😞 💔#teachersoftiktok ♬ original sound – Kelly Manus

Many have since taken to social media with the #justiceforkellymanus and with some planning to organize a picket outside of the school this week.

WCED responds to Kelly Manus’s video

Following Manus’s post on social media, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said it was made aware of the Tiktok post by the former teacher. and added that they immediately investigated the claims made.

According to the department, Manus claimed that she was unfairly discriminated against after she filed the complaint.

Additionally, she alleged that she did not get her contract post-converted to a permanent post because of the complaint and that the school did away with her post.

In a statement, the department stated that these claims were incorrect.

According to the WCED, Manus’s appointment was not converted because she did not qualify for conversion. The converstion process is regulated in terms of the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) Collective Agreement 2 of 2024. Through this process, all contract appointments in vacant and funded substantive educator posts could apply for conversion.

“The individual was not in a vacant and funded substantive post. They were appointed in an ad hoc post (substitute post) which does not qualify in terms of the Collective Agreement. Their contract was always due to end on 31 December 2024.”

Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond says the school followed the correct procedures in this regard.

“The individual also claims that the WCED did not take action with regards to their sexual harassment allegations. This is incorrect.”

According to the WCED, Manus did file a complaint last year regarding sexual harassment and the department’s Labour Directorate requested to meet with her to initiate formal proceedings.

Hammond added that the teacher indicated that she did not want a formal disciplinary hearing. The department however allegedly continued to engage in the matter informally given the serious nature of the allegations, and the alleged educator was cautioned.

“There had been no prior nor subsequent complaints regarding this educator.”

With regards to Manus’s employment status, the WCED claims that she is not unemployed and has been appointed in another post at another school.

The department has since appealed to the public not to disrupt teaching and learning as a result of the social media post.

“Our children must have the opportunity to attend schools in a calm environment without disruption. There are always two sides to a story, and it is important that we hear all sides of a story before passing judgement.”